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O
Soo Mooi !
Fraai Curieus !
LANTERNE
MAGIQUE of TOVERLANTAERN
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Satire,
Politics and the Magic Lantern in the
18th. Century
(Source:
Prof.
Hanou)
Image
below:
Projected by the Magic Lantern, the
Prince of Orange (Willem
V Oranje Nassau 1748 - 1806)
with his wife and 3 children.
An angel above holding a wreath, with
in the background the Dutch Lion holding
a sheaf of 7 arrows. (7 provinces of
the Republic)
People of various classes running in
fear of being struck by lightning, and
the army depicted as a group of watchful
soldiers.
Lanterne Magique of Toverlantaern, O
Soo Mooi !
Fraai curieus !
... vertoonende zeer duidelyk de Wonderlyke
Zaaken, die in deezen Wonderlyke Tyd
voorvallen ...
"Ha
ha ! Messieurs & Mesdames ! daar
sien um al weeromme de Savoiaarte, in
de ordre parfaitement, met de Lanterne
Magique,
met de nouvelles Pieces, o so mooi !
fraai curieus ! Keeve wel akte !"
Engraved frontispiece, showing people
in a darkened room looking at a scene
projected by a Magic Lantern.
With
thanks to Prof.
Hanou for an historical interpretation
of the illustration.
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Satire,
Politics and the Magic Lantern in the
18th. Century |
Both,
the concept of the Rarekiek
(Peepshow) and the Magic
Lantern narrator were often
used in 18th.
century political-satirical magazines
by anonymous authors.
By this their identity was hidden which
enabled them to spit critique on the establishment.
Magazine authors became imaginary
Lantern and Peepshowman.
These spectator
magazines became a popular genre
in political pamphlets or magazines and
the authors 'disguise' as an anonymous
writers, such as the Savoyard, was based
on itinerant fairground people who demonstrated
their hand-painted slides and transparent
peepshow images.
Most of the true traveling showmen came
from Wallonië, Belgium, and used
the language known as 'Koeterwaals',
a mixture between Flemish & French.
The use of the language guaranteed laughter
and amusement. The narrator was kept out
of range for his critique since he was
only the voice to explain the news, fact
& fiction, with the aid of popular
hantpainted images for projection.
More information, in Dutch, can be found
in a text by Rietje
van Vliet and Prof.
Hanou.
Read a Dutch
text on the Rarekiek, made
available online by Prof. Harmsen, University
of Leiden. |
Titlepage
of 'Lanterne Magique of Toverlantaern,
O Soo Mooi! Fraai Curieus!'
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'Lanterne
Magique of Toverlantaern ...'
is a Satirical
periodical,
published in 20 issues from September
1782 till June 1783 and often wrongly
attributed to Kees Vermynen, bookseller
at Rotterdam. The first two issues are
especially addressed to the readers
of the "spectatorial" weekly
'De
Post van den Nederrhyn',
very popular at the time. At the end
of the first three issues is announced
that the present periodical is sold
at Amsterdam, Rotterdam, 's-Gravenhage,
and Utrecht, but certainly not "by
die Ouderwetsche Patriotische Prins-gezinde
Boekwurmen, als Gosse, Bennet &
Hake, Luzac & van Damme, Agé,
Van Os, Kraeft, van Dyk etc."
The periodical is entirely written in
'Koeterwaals',
the Savoiaardte
language (Dutch
& French),
and makes relentless fun of the Patriots
and their French orientated democratic
views. But also other political issues
are discussed, like the position of
England and her colonies, John Adams'
mission, etc. The anonymously published
issues were at first ascribed to the
Orangist, R.M. van Goens, and the "Nouveau
Lanterne Magique" published in
reaction against the present "Lanterne
Magique" was especially aimed at
Van Goens. The title itself: 'Toverlantaern,
O Soo Mooi', became popular for
all similar satirical publications,
with 'Nieuwe Tooverlantaern'
as reaction against it.
Today, Herman
Bollaert uses 'Koeterwaals'
in the first part of his Laterna
Magica Galantee Show, based
on this book.
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Textpage
in Koeterwaals
(Savoyard)
language of scene
depicted in the frontispiece
above.
Vot
Serviteur Trèshumble
Thomas
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